The Lycan King and his Dark Temptation novel Chapter 74

VALERIA

“I choose my maid. I brought her, and I’ll take care of her. July, come stand by my side.”

Dave started, and I had to stifle a laugh at Juliette’s sudden turtle act, when she was usually worse than a chatty parrot.

“I choose Celine.” I didn’t hesitate to pick her. She knew my secrets, and I had no idea if this game would end with one of my… episodes.

A low growl suddenly rumbled, making everyone tense—but I didn’t even bother looking at the culprit.

Since he did whatever he pleased, I could do the same.

“I’ll take Erik,” Dave continued picking lycans like they were vegetables.

“Beof…” The towering brute moved to my side, and the tension in the air could have been cut with a knife.

Only Aldric and Guardian Quinn remained.

“Well, I choose—”

“Let Valeria choose,” His Majesty cut Dave off completely, his voice heavy with rage, his oppressive aura barely contained.

“Tell us, Valeria, who will you choose?”

He asked, and I lifted my blue eyes to meet his stormy, frozen gray stare, drilling into me with a deadly intensity.

A defiant spark flared in my chest. At first, I had just been teasing him a little, but now I wanted to push him to the edge.

That delicious tingling in my stomach swelled. I think my flirty butterfly was ready to strike—and me? I wanted to be punished today.

“I choose Guardian Quinn,” I said, and a collective gasp echoed through the group.

I think everyone expected Aldric to lose his mind with rage the next second, but instead, he just smirked. And it would have been sexy if it weren’t for his massive canines showing, turning it into a sinister, threatening grin.

“Have it your way, baby. You made your choice.” He stormed over to Dave’s side, not sparing me another glance.

Quinn stepped closer to our team, now officially the sworn enemies of the Lycan King.

“Valeria, you’re my hero,” Dave whispered beside me.

“Dave! Less talking, more planning!” The boss’s roar snapped us into action.

The game was pretty simple, just something fun to pass the time.

*****

My wolf's paws raced freely over the grass of this ancient forest, which once felt so dangerous and suffocating from afar, but now called me to play and explore.

I hadn’t forgotten that somewhere in these endless woods was the Goddess's Altar.

But right now, all I cared about was winning.

“Watch out, Valeria!” Quinn’s voice rang through my mind, and I tensed, narrowly dodging a sudden attack from someone ambushing me from a tree branch above.

It was Erik, aiming to snatch the red flag from my jaws.

He lunged at me, but a massive brown lycan tackled him, slamming him against a tree trunk that groaned, nearly snapping under the impact.

“Run, run! I’ll hold him off!” Quinn ordered, and Celine helped me up so we could sprint again, leaping over roots, dodging bushes, and ducking low branches.

“Veer right! Right! There are bogs hidden by the mist ahead!” Beof’s deep voice thundered through our minds, and Celine and I shifted direction blindly.

“Celine, do you smell anything? How will we know where their fort is?” I asked, relying solely on her guidance.